10 THINGS I LEARNED FROM WATCHING NASCAR

I really enjoyed watching NASCAR this past Sunday afternoon. I’ll be honest I was really watching to see Ms. Patrick win ;0). The pre-race interviews, commentary and interviews were very informative and entertaining. The race surprisingly went so much faster than I remembered the Indy 500 events I attending in Indianapolis a 15 years ago. During the 3 hours… here’s what I learned:

1. Teammates can also be competitors and everyone can shine. One drivers’ win or celebrity does not diminish anothers.

2. Drivers are the ultimate sports ambassadors. They are the brand and they are all about advancing and respecting the sport.

3. NASCAR understands the value of a sponsors and everybody is bought into it. (Networks, advertisers, and stakeholders are ALL IN. I could not believe the split screen used during commercials so fans wouldn’t miss any of the race.

4. Saying thank you goes a long way. Everyone, I mean everyone, says thank you to someone FIRST during an interview. Thank you to the sponsors, fans, teammates, pit crew, etc…

5. Product placement is king. Logos are everywhere and it’s pretty cool to see what brands support the sport.

6. Tough breaks and wrecks will and can take a driver and team in some cases out of the race, but as one driver said “there’s always next week.”

7. Safety first. I think everyone should have a Caution Flag – it allows you to keep your position until it’s safe AND you don’t lose your spot!

8. These drivers are athletes. Driving 196 miles per hour with 40+ other people on a round track for 3 hours has to be the most exhausting day ever. But this week several drivers and team crew ran in the Daytona half marathon (13.1 miles) BEFORE the Daytona 500 (miles). Say what!

9. Men don’t want to lose to a women in anything! Danica Patrick has not only hyped the sport of racing, but she’s also hyped its male competition – four cars passed her on the final turn, she finished 8th.